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Monuments And Memorial Essay

1629 Words7 Pages

As Ralph Waldo Emerson has stated, “great achievements build a monument which shall endure,” implying that monuments and memorials are important because they offer a method of recognizing and celebrating notable figures’ accomplishments. However, there are many complications that need to be addressed when constructing memorials and monuments that people do not realize. Agencies that construct memorials need to take into account the demands of various people in order to satisfy their concerns. Once the agencies can establish a plan for a monument that has a neutral position, they should begin to create them. Agencies should think about the significance, controversy, location, and the emotional connection when constructing a monument or memorial. …show more content…

For instance, “the ability of a name is far more realistic and specific and much more comprehensive… which captures a specific moment in time” (Lin). Lin refers to the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial and how having the names of heroes on the walls of the memorial makes the visitors more inclined to feel connected to it. The names of the veterans make up the memorial itself and by allowing people to see the names alone, it causes them to recognize and remember the sacrifice of the brave soldiers. In feeling connected to the names of the soldiers, it makes the memorial more honorable. The Lincoln Memorial also “speaks to a deep need for attachment that can be met only in a real place, where the imagined community actually materializes” (Savage). This evidence indicates how much of an effect a memorial can have on a person if the designers and agencies think carefully about the emotion they want to produce through the monument. If the memorial is powerful enough to create an impression on a person, then they become attached in that moment whether it be a name or a statue they see. By establishing an emotional connection, agencies can make their monuments more meaningful and popular among people. The significance of the Pearl Harbor Memorial is also of great value like the Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials. The Pearl Harbor Memorial honors the lives of those who lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attack during the start of World War II. The display of the Pearl Harbor Memorial has the names of the people who died inscribed on the wall to make the connection between the visitors and the memorial feel

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